Question

1- Medical oxygen tanks carried by paramedics and used in hospitals contain a higher concentration of carbon dioxide than normal air. Explain the effect of this extra CO2 on a person being treated and the medical reason for this effect.

2- Most doctors agree that after a person quits smoking, the deposits in their lungs will be removed after a period of time, depending on how long the person smoked. What mechanism removes these deposits?

Answer 1

Ans1)Medical oxygen tanks carried by paramedics and used in hospitals contain a higher concentration of carbon dioxide than normal air. This is because the effectiveness of oxygen administration depends on the carbon dioxide content of the blood.High content of carbon dioxide is the main stimulant of respiration. The rise in carbon dioxide stimulates the respiratory centre to increase breathing rate so that more carbon dioxide can be fastly eliminated. Hence more oxygen will then be inhaled if breathing rate increases.

Ans2)After a person quits smoking, the deposits in their lungs get removed after a period of time, depending on how long the person smoked.Quitting reactivates the lung’s cilia which are  small hair-like structures present on the cell’s surface.They move mucus and bacteria to the back of the throat, where these substances are swallowed. This helps the body get rid of mucus and clears the lungs.Earlier these cilia were non functional as they become paralysed by continous smoking. After quitting the swelling in lungs subside and lung cells produce less mucus.Carbon dioxide gets out of blood. New cilia grow and these are better at clearing the mucus.  Also the inflamming in lung epithelium is reduced,leading to better recovery.